Help Support My Grandma’s Battle with ALS

Hi, my name is Mekayla, and I’m reaching out to ask for help for someone who means the world to me… my grandma.

In November 2024, my sweet, 70-year-young grandma was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), a devastating illness that slowly takes away a person’s ability to move, speak, eat, and breathe — all while keeping the mind fully aware. Watching her go through this has been incredibly painful, not just because of what the disease does, but because of who she is.

My grandma has always been the most selfless, caring, strong, and giving woman I know. She has spent her entire life working hard, taking care of others, raising children and grandchildren, being the peacemaker, and keeping everything running. You could never catch her sitting still; she was always cooking, cleaning, helping someone, or playing with the kids. We had to beg her just to retire. The lady loves to move. ALS has taken so much from her already, and yet her heart, her spirit, and her love for our family still shine. I truly cannot even begin to imagine what she’s going through, the thoughts she must have, and how scared she probably is. Thinking about it breaks me, and I know everyone around her is just as heartbroken because no one deserves this, but my grandma of all people, she is the least deserving person of such an awful disease.

Our family is small but close. It’s always been my grandma, my mom, my aunt, my uncle, and me. We’ve always been a tight unit, and my grandma has been the glue that’s held us together through everything. She lives with my aunt, who is juggling work, school, and raising her kids, and she’s doing an amazing job caring for grandma, but it’s a heavy load. My mom helps as much as she can, and I wish I could do more, but as a single mom of three young children, it’s been hard to be physically present in the way I want to be. My uncle also has a huge family of his own and works a lot, making it hard for him as well.

We do, of course, have lots of other sweet family members who love her deeply: my uncle's wife Kristin and her family, who became a part of our family even before marriage; her brother Scott; our Uncle Bubba (who was married to her late twin sister Sharron); and her niece and nephew, Shane and Kristen, and of course, all the sweet kiddos. We know we’re not alone in loving her, and I believe that if we come together, we can help give her the care and comfort she deserves.

My family has NEVER been the type to ask for help, and I know my aunt just wants to make sure my grandma is getting the love and respect she deserves. Bringing someone else into this would be scary, I think, so I believe if we had the proper funds to afford the best of the best, then maybe we could get extra, TRUSTING hands in the home. This fundraiser is my way of doing something… ANYTHING to help ease the weight this disease has placed on her and the family. Your donation will help with:

• Any needed medical equipment and home modifications for safety and comfort.

• Some sort of extra care and support for my aunt, who is doing the day-to-day caregiving.

• Anything else that can give her more peace, ease, and dignity as she navigates this heartbreaking journey.

There is no cure for ALS, but there is love, support, and the ability to make a difference in the time she has left. I want nothing more than to give her everything she needs and take the stress off the people who love her most. I desperately want to take some of this heavy weight off of my aunt's shoulders and I want nothing more than to make my grandma as happy, comfortable, and content as humanly possible.

Thank you for reading, thank you for sharing, thank you for praying, and thank you for any help you’re able to give.

With love,

Mekayla